British Values
At Meridian High School, we believe that understanding and embracing Fundamental British Values is key to becoming an active, responsible citizen in a modern and diverse Britain. These values encourage students to celebrate our community, respect differences, and contribute positively to society. Our approach aligns with the Government’s Prevent Strategy and the ethos of mutual respect and inclusion in line with the Teacher Standards.
The 5 Fundamnetal British Values we promote are: Democracy, Individual Liberty, Rule of Law, Mutual Respect, and Tolerance of Those with Different Faiths and Beliefs. Here’s how they come to life at Meridian High School:
Democracy
Democracy means having a voice and understanding equality of rights. At Meridian, students experience democracy through:
- Weekly Votes for School sessions, where student opinions influence school decisions and policies.
- Termly surveys giving students the chance to shape school life.
- Student leadership teams reporting to key stakeholders.
- Visits to the Royal Courts of Justice and engagement in topical talks through The Economist.
Individual Liberty
Individual liberty encourages students to make informed choices and express themselves within safe boundaries. Examples include:
- A wide offer of extra curricular clubs, trips and visits
- Choice in school meals with healthy guidelines
- Options process in year 9 in preparation fro GCSE
- Freedom to express individuality, including hair colour and style.
- Encouragement to share opinions constructively both in and out of lessons (including in podcasting and debating)
- Opportunities to apply for leadership roles within the school.
Rule of Law
The rule of law means understanding that everyone is accountable to fair and enforced rules. At Meridian, this is reinforced through:
- A share code of conduct reviewed by all students each term.
- Clear expectations and policies across all facets of the school
- Emphasis on accountability for staff, students, and parents/carere .
Mutual Respect
Mutual respect is about recognising and valuing each person’s dignity. At Meridian, we foster this through:
- A student code of conduct
- School values of Challenge, Learn, Achieve within an ethos of Resilience, Ambition and Respect
- An embedded Thrive Approach supporting emotional development and positive behaviour.
- Expectations for smart dress for both students and staff.
- PSHE and RSE curriculum that reinforces respectful interactions across all year groups.
Tolerance of Those with Different Faiths and Beliefs
Tolerance encourages students to respect different faiths, cultures, and perspectives. At Meridian, students engage with this through:
- The Worldviews curriculum at Key Stage 3.
- Religious Studies at Key Stage 4.
- Citizenship at Key Stage 4
- Tutor group and independent reading, featuring diverse texts, autobiographies and literatures
- Celebrate cuture week in which all students attend workshops, taste food from around the world and have guest speakers. .
